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Archbishop of Tarragona Defends the Richness of the Spanish Episcopal Conference

Joan Planellas positively values participation in the Spanish Episcopal Conference, considering it a richness for the Church.

Generic image of an archbishop holding a rosary.
IA

Generic image of an archbishop holding a rosary.

The Archbishop of Tarragona, Joan Planellas, defends the richness that participation in the Spanish Episcopal Conference brings, rejecting the idea of an independent Catalan conference.

The Archbishop of Tarragona, Joan Planellas, has expressed his view on the importance of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (SEC), considering that being part of it represents a "("brutal richness"("). In an interview, Planellas argued that a hypothetical Catalan Episcopal Conference, with the ten bishops of Catalonia, "("would impoverish us enormously"("), especially given the complexity of the tasks to be undertaken.
Planellas highlighted that the SEC offers a richness that would not be found in a smaller structure, citing as an example the publication of an interesting document on religious emotivism. He stressed that collaboration within the SEC is fluid and that Catalan bishops are "("welcome"(") and collaborate on many initiatives.
The archbishop also referred to the Tarraconense Episcopal Conference, which brings together the Catalan dioceses and meets four times a year, as a sufficient structure for coordination at the Catalan level. He defended that this entity already covers the needs for joint work in Catalonia.
Regarding the Catalan language, Planellas assured that the Church considers it "("the language of our people"(") and mentioned initiatives such as Catalan classes for migrants offered in parishes in collaboration with the Generalitat, as well as the computerization of Church documents in Catalan.
Regarding Pope Francis, Planellas showed a hopeful view, highlighting his listening ability and his moral resonance in a context of crisis of political referents. He pointed out that the Pope faces challenges such as globalized capitalism and the artificial intelligence revolution, recalling the line of Leo XIII.
On the issue of migration, the archbishop criticized xenophobic attitudes and defended welcoming, while acknowledging the social tensions it can generate, especially concerning housing. He signed an agreement with President Illa to cede properties for social housing.
Planellas also addressed the complexity of incorporating women into the Church, noting that a decision on women priests could create communion problems at a universal level, although greater involvement of women in church life and decision-making is being worked on.
Finally, he confirmed a resurgence of Catholic faith, with a significant increase in adult individuals requesting baptism, especially among young people, in the face of what he considers an "("existential void"(") in society.

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